02_battle_cry-第24部分

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〃You　will　be　pleased　to　learn　that　the　matter　has　already　been　settled；〃　the　Backstabber　was　saying。

A　frightened　junior　officer　was　then　shoved　forward　into　the　screen's　field　of　view。　His　shackled　hands　managed　a　two…handed　breast　salute　as　Khyron　ordered　him　to　speak。

〃mander　Breetai；　I　take　full　responsibility　for　the　misplaced　laser　bolt　which　destroyed　the　radar　tower　of　Zor's　ship。　My　aim　was　untrue；　and　I　humbly　await　your　judgment。〃

The　officer　hung　his　head　in　shame。

Breetai　stared　at　the　screen　with　a　look　of　disbelief　that　quickly　refocused　as　anger。

〃Khyron；　do　you　take　me　for　a　plete　fool？！〃

Khyron　smirked；　〃Not　plete；　Breetai。〃

Exedore's　mander　was　enraged；　he　shouted；　〃You　have　not　heard　the　end　of　this！〃　and　shut　down　the　link。　He　resumed　his　pacing　as　a　second　message　was　fed　to　the　bridge：　An　enemy　recon　vessel　disabled　by　a　collision　with　an　asteroid　had　been　captured　and　was　being　brought　to　the　flagship。

So　something　had　been　salvaged　from　this　operation；　after　all；　Breetai　told　himself。　He　heard　Exedore　give　the　order　that　all　survivors　were　to　be　left　unharmed。

〃Well；　Exedore；　it　looks　like　you'll　have　the　specimens　you　wanted。〃

〃So　it　would　appear；　mander；〃　Exedore　replied　guardedly。　These　would…be　minor　triumphs　had　a　vexing　way　of　reversing　themselves。

Nevertheless；　Exedore　and　Breetai　rushed　from　the　bridge　and　made　for　the　docking　bays。　They　were　halfway　along　the　main　corridor　to　the　elevators　when　an　announcement　from　ship　security　brought　them　to　a　halt。

〃Three　Micronian　ships　in　pursuit　of　the　captured　recon　craft　have　broken　into　the　lower　deck　holding　area。　mander　Breetai；　contact　the　bridge。〃

Breetai　growled；　〃They　dare　to　enter　my　ship？！　Now　I　will　deal　with　them　personally！〃

The　Zentraedi　mander　broke　into　a　run；　Exedore　was　behind　him；　throwing　caution　to　the　wind。


The　Vermilion　Team　had　pursued　the　captured　Cat'sEye　into　the　lower　hold　of　the　huge　ship；　reconfiguring　to　Guardian　mode　when　they　cleared　the　hatchway。　Afterburners　were　now　accelerating　them　along　the　kilometers　of　floor　in　the　enormous　chamber。

Rick　took　out　the　enemy　tow　which　had　ensnared　Lisa's　craft　and　ordered　the　team　into　Battloid　configuration。　The　two　Zentraedi　pilots　who　jumped　from　the　flaming　wreck　were　easily　chased　off　by　gatling　fire　loosed　by　Max　and　Ben。

The　two　corporals　were　speechless。　Those　were　living；　breathing　giants　who　had　clambered　out　of　the　tow。　All　that　training…the　photos；　the　videos；　the　skeletal　remains…hadn't　prepared　them　for　this　moment　of　actual　confrontation。　They　couldn't　help　but　notice；　however；　that　the　place　was　a　wreck　all　on　its　own：　Spare　parts　from　Battlepods　and　other　mecha　littered　the　area；　overhead　gantries　and　hull　hatchways　were　in　desperate　need　of　attention；　and　an　atmosphere　of　ultimate　neglect　and　disrepair　hung　over　the　area　like　the　stench　of　decay。

Rick；　meanwhile；　was　bringing　the　Battloid　down　on　one　knee　to　inspect　the　Cat's…Eye。　He　could　see　Lisa　begin　to　stir　inside　the　smashed　cockpit。　Seeing　the　Battloid；　she　switched　on　the　external　speakers。

〃Lieutenant　Hunter；　take　your　men　and　get　out　of　here。　You've　got　no　time　to　spare。〃

Her　voice　was　weak。

〃Time　enough　to　bring　you　with　us。〃

Max　came　on　the　line：　〃Lieutenant；　the　Zentraedi　are　taking　up　positions　at　the　end　of　the　corridor。　We　better　blow　this　place。〃

〃Just　give　me　a　few　minutes　of　cover　fire；　Max。　Then　we're　outta　here。〃

〃That'll　just　about　deplete　my　cannon　charge。〃

〃Mine；　too；〃　Ben　added。

〃Cut　the　chatter。　Open　fire。〃

Rick　returned　his　attention　to　the　Cat's…Eye　while　his　teammates　laid　down　a　deafening　barrage　of　fire。

〃Can　you　operate　the　manual　eject　mechanism；　mander？〃

〃Negative；〃　Lisa　answered　him。　〃The　controls　are　jammed。　Move　out；　Lieutenant。　I'm　giving　you　an　order。〃

〃This　is　no　time　to　stand　on　protocol；　mander。　Cover　yourself；　I'm　going　to　break　into　the　cockpit。〃

Lisa　saw　the　Battloid's　enormous　hand　e　down　on　the　shield　and　screamed；　〃Keep　your　hand　off　me；　Hunter！　I'm　not　kidding；　don't　touch　me　with　that　thing！〃

The　Battloid's　fingers　pinched　the　shield；　shattering　it。　Cursing　Rick　the　entire　while；　Lisa　pulled　herself　up　and　free　of　the　wreckage。

〃I'll　have　your　stripes　for　this；　Hunter。　I　swear　it。〃

Rick　heard　Ben's　gatling　sputter　out；　Max　flashed　him　a　signal　that　he；　too；　was　out　of　ammo。　Lisa　had　moved　away　from　the　Cat's…Eye。　Rick　was　offering　her　the　outstretched　open　hand　of　the　Battloid　when　he　caught　her　startled　reaction　to　something　that　had　appeared　on　the　overhead　catwalk。

Halfway　to　standing；　that　something　landed　hard　on　the　Battloid's　back；　driving　the　mecha　to　the　floor　of　the　hold　with　a　force　not　to　be　believed。


CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

Few　of　us　were　fortunate　enough　to　have　seen　the　interior　of　the　SDF…1　before　Dr。　Lang's　teams　of　Robotechnicians　had　retrofit　the　fortress　with　bulkheads；　partitions；　lowered　ceilings；　and　doorways　and　hatches　proportioned　to　human　scale；　so　our　entry　into　the　enormous　lower　hold　of　＇Breetai's＇　flagship　proved　to　be　a　veritable　assault　on　the　senses。　Although　I　learned　much　later　that　human…size　enclosures　did　in　fact　exist　aboard　the　SDF…1　prior　to　reconstruction；　here　were　all　the　things　Sterling；　Dixon；　and　I　had　been　hearing　about　from　members　of　the　early　exploratory　teams：　the　three…hundred…foot…high　ceilings；　thirty　foot…wide　hatchways；　miles　of　corridors。。。It　was　not　surprising；　then；　that　our　minds　refused　to　grapple　with　these　new　dimensions。　We　didn't　experience　the　hold　as　human　beings　entering　giant…sized　spaces；　it　was　instead　as　if　we　had　been　reduced　in　size！
The　Collected　Journals　of　Admiral　Rick　Hunter

Even　by　Zentraedi　standards；　the　soldier　who　leapt　from　the　hold　gantry　and　decked　Rick　Hunter's　Battloid　was　enormous。

Max　calculated　the　giant's　height　at　sixty…plus　feet。　He　wore　knee…high　utility　boots　and　a　blue　uniform　trimmed　in　yellow　at　the　collar　and　sleeves；　over　this　was　a　long；　sleeveless　brown　tunic　adorned　with　one　bold　vertical　blue　band。　At　breast　level　was　some　sort　of　insignia　or　badge　of　rank…almost　a　black　musical　note　in　a　yellow　field。　But　the　most　memorable　thing　about　him　was　the　gleaming　plate　that　covered　one　side　of　his　head；　inset　with　what　appeared　to　be　a　lusterless　cabochon。　He　had　jumped　more　than　200　feet　from　the　catwalk；　yet　here　he　stood　glaring　at　them；　ready　to　take　on　the　entire　Robotech　Defense　Force　single…handed。

Max　didn't　have　to　be　told　that　he'd　met　one　of　the　Zentraedi　elite。

Sterling　allowed　these　diverse　emotional　reactions　to　wash　through　him；　he　then　relaxed　and　began　to　attune　his　thoughts　to　the　Battloid's　capabilities。　Quickly　positioning　his　mecha　behind　the　giant；　he　swung　the　depleted　gatling　cannon　across　the　warrior's　chest　and　held　it　fast　with　both　hands；　pinioning　the　giant's　arms　at　his　sides。　Displays　in　the　Battloid　cockpit　module　ran　wild　as　the　Zentraedi　struggled　to　free　himself。　Max　could　sense　the　extent　of　the　enemy's　will　reaching　into　his　own　mind　and　grappling　with　it　on　some　newly　opened　front　in　this　war；　a　psycho…battleground。

The　Battloid's　arms　were　stressed　to　the　limit；　threatening　to　dislocate　with　each　of　the　giant's　chest　expansions。　The　Zentraedi　was　growling　like　a　trapped　animal；　twisting　his　head　around；　each　deliberate　move　calculated　to　bring　that　gleaming　faceplate　into　violent　contact　with　the　canopy　of　the　mecha。　Max　knew　that　something　was　going　to　give　out　soon　unless　he　changed　tactics。

The　Battloid's　environmental　sensors　indicated　that　the　hold　was　indeed　an　air　lock；　it　could　therefore　be　depressurized。　Max　wasn't　certain　what　size　hole　would　be　necessary　to　achieve　the　effect　he　was　after；　but　he　had　to　take　a　chance。　He　raised　Ben　on　the　tac　net；　all　the　while　struggling　with　foot　pedals　and　random　thoughts；　and　ordered　him　to　fire　his　warheads　at　the　ship's　hull　directly　overhead。

Ben　triggered　release　of　the　missiles；　the　explosion　tore　a　gaping　hole　in　the　ship。　But　something　unexpected　was　happening　even　before　the　smoke　was　sucked　clear：　The　hull　was　actually　repairing　itself！　Max　couldn't　believe　his　sensors；　the　process　was　almost　organic；　as　though　the　ship　was。。。alive。

But　he　lost　no　time　thinking　about　it。　He　fired　the　mecha's　foot　thrusters；　launching　himself；　along　with　the　Zentraedi；　toward　the　ceiling。　Just　short　of　the　healing　rend；　he　released　his　grip　on　the　cannon。　Momentum　carried　the　giant　out　into　space　seconds　before　the　hull　patch　pleted　itself。

Back　on　the　floor　of　the　hold；　Rick　had　picked　himself　up。　He　had　snatched　Lisa　from　midair　during　the　depressurization　and　was　holding　her　in　the　Battloid's　metalshod　hand　now；　ignoring　her　protestations。　Max　brought　his　Battloid　down　beside　him。

〃Nice　work；　Max。　Guess　we　won't　be　seeing　that　character　again。〃

〃Not　unless　he　can　survive　deep　space　without　an　extravehicular　suit。〃

〃Now　what　do　we　do？〃　Ben　asked。

The　three　men　panned　their　Battloid　video　cameras　across　the　hold；　searching　for　a　way　out。

Breetai；　meanwhile；　who　was　made　of　much　sterner　stuff　than　any　of　the　Earthlings　realized；　was　not　only　alive　but　was　at　that　moment　pulling　his　way　along　the　outer　skin　of　the　flagship；　using　as　handholds　the；　numerous　sensor　bristles　and　antennae　that　covered　the　ship。　The　gaping　hole　had　of　course　closed　itself　too　quickly　to　permit　reentry　into　the　hold；　but　he　had　managed　to　recollect　his　strength　by　latching　on　to　a　jagged　piece　of　the　ruptured　hull　before　beginning　his　trek　across　the　exterior　armor　plating。

His　genetic　makeup　allowed　him　to　withstand　the　vacuum　of　deep　space　for　a　limited　period　only；　but　he　had　nothing　less　than　plete　confidence　in　his　ability　to　survive。　Thoughts　of　vengeance　drove　him　on：　That　Micronian　was　going　to　pay　dearly　for　this。

Inside　the　ship；　the　diminutive　Lisa　Hayes　had　resumed　mand　of　the　three　pilots　in　their　Battloids。　She　spoke　into　her　helmet　municator　from　the　open　hand　of　Rick　Hunter's　mecha；　instructing　Max　and　Ben　to　use　their　top…mounted　lasers　to　burn　through　the　port　hatch。

〃You'll　have　to　do　it　quickly；〃　she　advised　them。　〃They're　going　to　be　on　us　any　second　now。〃　She　then　swung　herself　around　to　face　Rick。　〃And　Lieutenant；　would　you　mind　putting　me　down　no